The Young Female Holmes
by MerLock'sBeingWho
Summary: Alba Holmes grew up in the shadow of her older brothers, so now her life will turn as she treads in their footsteps. (T just in case anything happens)
1. Prologue

This one was bad, far worse than the last.

Her scream pounded the walls. 'Please stop this!' she prayed – even though she wasn't religious.

It did, but not from some deity; her body subsided and delivered.

At 6 o'clock in the morning, I was born.

I opened my eyes and saw the bright lights. Most babies cry as soon as they're born, but I looked around the room – inspecting. After acknowledging my surroundings, I started to cry. To howl.

"She's got a nice pair o' lungs on her!" the midwife laughed.

"Come here!" she exclaimed, picking me up. I was so soft and slimy.

"Here, I'll just put this towel on her, keep her warm,"

After I was separated from my mother, my father walked into the room.

"Let me see then."

He placed his hand on the top of my head and kissed my forehead. I opened my eyes and stared at my father's moustache and lifted up my hand, which he took in his.

"My little girl, our little Alba."


	2. Arrivals

Six days after I was born, I met my first brother. Mycroft.

After 4 months in a government course in Edinburgh, he heard about my birth and shortened the course. Mycroft treated me like a princess, giving me gift after gift after gift. A silver locket with my initials engraved on it, an amethyst necklace with an 18 carat gold chain. An antique teddy bear with an eye missing, those were a few to say the least.

"Hello little Alba!" he said as he walked through the door. I lay in my mother's arms only recognising my name, "Mother, Father" he gave a small nod towards my father and delicately kissed my mother on the cheek. Mycroft scooped me up in his arms and cradled me. I started to giggle as swung me lightly, rocking me back and forth. I giggled, not knowing the brother whose arms I was in. I snuggled down to sleep.

The door swung open. It was as if we were in a horror movie. Mycroft stood up and stared at the drenched figure that loomed through the door. I started to cry at the scary person that walked into the house, "Ssh!" Mycroft cooed, "Sherlock" he greeted.

"Brother. Is that my sister then?"

"How did you know? We didn't tell about he, we said you had a new sibling," my mother argued.

"Yes but it very obvious mother, voices change when they are around baby girls," he announced followed by a stunned silence. He walked over to Mycroft and kissed me on the forehead, before picking up his bag and clambered up the stairs.

"Hello to you too, Sherlock," Mycroft muttered as he sat back down.

The next day, was Christmas day. I sat on Mycroft's lap and was given a small present to open.

"Look Alba! Look what I got you!" Truth be told, I couldn't actually see what the present was, as he was jiggling me up and down on his leg. I took the fluffy toy in my big soggy hands and started chewing on its ear. I was then handed to Sherlock, who took me not very interestingly. He grimaced as he saw my dribbling mouth and clingy, wet hands, sopping with saliva.

He had tried to object but my mother planted me on him, "Fine then. Alba, this is for you." He sighed handing me a small parcel with _Alba_ written on the front. He started to open the present for me, but I helped too. Opening the paper carelessly and throwing it on the floor. When I saw it, my face lit up. It was an old brown bear. Pieces of its fur had gone around the body and were crusty around the ears and eyes, "His name is Bunsen, and he was mine when I was younger but now he's yours,"

It was comfy on Sherlock's lap. He didn't jiggle me like Mycroft did. When I was picked up to go to the dinner table though, I started to cry. My family didn't know what was wrong with me, but the truth was that I just wanted to sit with Sherlock. My new brother.

Sherlock was in his last two years of senior school and then he would go to University. The sixteen year old Sherlock was rather cold. I wanted his to smile more!

I was put to bed at seven o'clock and started to fall asleep. Mother, Father and Mycroft were going to attend a posh dinner and ballroom dance for the Christmas season, but Sherlock being Sherlock didn't want to go as he was planning a huge experiment.

As soon as the door clicked shut, I began my plan. I knew he could hear my screams from his 'experiment' room. A dramatic sigh could be heard from the other end of the house. Heavy footsteps marched across the corridor and the door gently squeaked open. Our mother had given him strict instructions to go to my room if I started crying, so unwillingly he gave in. The curly dark haired boy entered the room and looked over the cot at me. He picked me up and sighed. I immediately stopped crying. A quizzical look painted over his face. He put me back in the cot and I quickly turned the tears back on. So again he picked me up and again I stopped crying. A small smile tugged at his lips. I was actually a clever child! He looked at me closely, squinting his eyes, "She could be useful for an experiment, "he mused.

I was carried into the strange dark room. As he turned on the light I saw organised chaos. The room was quite big really, but with lab desks around the room and strewn on the were papers, case histories, matched, old mugs of tea, books and also a Bunsen Burner right in the middle. He placed me into a car seat onto the desk. I felt happy there, giggling away to myself.


	3. Experiments

Sherlock grabbed a notebook and scribbled down a few notes. He then looked towards me and mumbled something into a Dictaphone.

The first experiment he tried was my reaction to tickling. He mumbled again into the Dictaphone and held his hand over my belly, starting to wiggle his fingers. I didn't respond.

He then tried peek-a-boo but I didn't even laugh.

He placed the Dictaphone to his lips again, "Not responding with laughter, will start recognition."

Putting down the Dictaphone he sighed. Sherlock help up a teddy bear and stared to jiggle it in the air, "Alba, Alba" I looked at the fuzzy bunny but didn't react, I just stared

About 15 minutes into it I started to get tired and bored. Loud shrieks filled the house. He sighed and picked me out of the car seat. Bobbing me up and down on his chest, trying to calm me down.

When I smelt his strong deodorant and gently fell asleep.

When I woke up, the house was pitch black. My tummy started to rumble. My shrieks made a response to the family. Mother got up from her slumber and came into the room, giving me my feed. Eventually the hunger subsided.

The next time I woke up my call changed. This time I needed changing. So again my mother had to enter the room, change my nappy and leave as if nothing had ever happened.

The light hit my eyes the next time I woke up. It was early morning and the family were down at breakfast. I cried again, hearing a commotion of people as each one told my mother that they would go up. This time it was Mycroft.

"Hey there sweetie," he cooed as he scooped me up and carried me to the living room, where he placed me under the play gym. I stared up at the dangly toys, reached up my arms and hit one of the plastic stars.

Sherlock's eyes lit up. He saw the realisation on my face as I heard the small tune.

After breakfast, Mycroft picked me up and walked me back to my room. Where I lay and stared at the ceiling.

Huge footsteps pounded the floorboards that squealed under the pressure. The door creaked open and Sherlock stood looking over me.

"Come on Alba!" he said picking me up.

When we got to his experiment room, he placed me back in the car seat. He held a set of plastic keys over my head and shook them gently. I played along and started to hit them. A smile tugged at his lips. He then began to jot notes in his book and mumbled again into the Dictaphone.

I had completed that round.

Over the next few days of his holiday, he carried on with his experiments. But when he went, I was on my own.

Over the next weeks I started to increase in my intellect. My mother and father played and joked with me (keeping up his experiments without even realizing).

Every night I was put to bed with Bunsen and over the months, I slept for longer than before.

Six weeks after Christmas Sherlock came back again. He saw how much I had grown and a smile painted on his face. I was now able to sit up, so before his bags were even unpacked, he sat me down on the sofa in his bedroom and kneeled in front.

I listened intently.

He placed a wooden box before me. There were three holes, one rectangular, one triangular and the other circular. He put three other wooden shapes around me on the sofa. One yellow triangle peg, one red square peg and the other a blue circle peg. He opened my hand and gave me the blue circle. I took the peg and tried first to put it into the triangular hole. I didn't fit. Then I connected the shapes and slotted it into the circular hole. A smile graced my lips and then I grinned. I clapped my hands, thinking I was the only one, but Sherlock too clapped his hands lightly grinning at me. He then gave me the triangle shape and as if I had practiced it a hundred times before, I put it into the triangle hole. I smiled again and was then given the last peg, slotting it in again with ease.

He smiled and rushed into the other room to grab his notepad and Dictaphone, hurriedly addressing the last experiment. When he returned he scrawled down more notes.

He then tried another test. This time he marked a dab of lipstick on my forehead and sat me in front of the mirror. I didn't spot the mark, I just saw me in the mirror. My brain grew confused. There was another baby there. When I moved my hand it moved its. It looked exactly like me. Rosy and chubby cheeked. I put my hand on the cold, hard mirror and tried to stand up, but fell back, landing square on my bottom.

That hurt. It gave me a choke in my throat. That really hurt. I launched my head back and howled.

"Oh God!" Sherlock muttered. He didn't want to be caught. He picked me up and rocked me in his arms, telling me that I was fine.

At that moment, I calmed. My mother hadn't even heard.

One week later, Sherlock had to go back to school. It annoyed me that I couldn't see him again for a while.

He began to pack his bag, and I shuffled into his room.

"Hello Alba," he sighed

He grabbed his phone and slotted it into his pocket. Sherlock picked me up and gently placed me on his bed. I picked up a t-shirt on the bed and held it up, "Thank you Alba" I then began to hand him more and more of his things for his luggage. This was Sherlock's last year of term of Year 11, so he wanted to go out with a bang.

When he left, we stood in the hallway. He kissed out mother on the cheek, nodded at Mycroft and Father and then kissed me lightly on the forehead and walked to the car.

With a little wave of my hand (via Mycroft) he left for another term.


	4. Summer

When summer arrived I was already 7 months old. I had started to crawl, so my mother had to pad up every corner of the house!

Mycroft also came to visit me for a few days before he went to Australia, for another course. The TV played cartoons loudly throughout the room but I sat with Bunsen not really watching.

Mother made Mycroft a cup of tea, whilst he sat playing with me.

"Hello Alba, whose this then?" he asked.

"Ooha," I replied.

"Oh that's a nice name!" he smiled. I crawled up to him and lifted up my arms. He picked me up and sat me next to him.

Mother arrived with the tea and a bottle of milk for me.

She sat talking with him for a while, but 4 hours later he had to go. So again I was on my own.

Pearly white teeth were beginning to erupt out of my gums; which really, really hurt. They bled too every so often so to ease the pain, she numbed my mouth with a teething ring.

By the time Sherlock came, I already had 2 bottom teeth and one top tooth. He arrived whilst I was having a nap. My eyes fluttered open, and I saw Sherlock's beaming face staring down at me. I grinned.

He picked me up and carried me into his room. Sherlock sat me on the floor and then sat opposite me - he sat as if waiting for a conversation. HE then turned round to get some flash cards so that he could test me.

"Sherlock," I said.

"Yes, one minute - wait what was that?" he asked.

"Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock,"

'Wow' he mouthed.

We rushed down the stairs – him carrying me down.

"Mother, Father! Look, Look! Go on then Alba, Go on!" he pleaded.

"Mama!" I said. Delight filled my mother's eyes; she grinned at me and silently clapped her hands. Whereas Sherlock looked at me in bewilderment.

"What?"

"Dada! My-My-Mycoft! Sherlock!"

His lips rose up into a smile.

"You see!" he practically shouted.

I had said my first words; my whole family.


	5. One Year Later

**Thank you all for your amazing reviews and also the follows! I really appreciate it! **

One year later I was beginning to cruise around the house. Holding onto the furniture for support. Sherlock too helped me to walk and talk in his spare time. So by the time I was nearly two years old, I was able to say much longer sentences.

Sherlock built up my brain too. Teaching me a whole range of subjects and also how to read and write. I didn't need school, just so long as Sherlock taught me.

We all sat eating our breakfast.

"Sherlock, would you be able to take Alba outside? Into one of the fields? Mother asked.

"Why?" Sherlock moaned.

"Because I want her to get some fresh air, before we travel in the car,"

"I'll do it Mother!" Mycroft piped up. (We all thought he was lost in his paper!)

"Thank you Mycroft, but its Sherlock's turn now,"

Sherlock sighed, "Fine!"

I was loaded into the pram and went off with a kiss on the cheek from my mother, which of course he wiped off as soon as the door closed. He walked me through the garden and then into one of our fields.

This one was an orchard. With rich, pluming blossoms beckoning forward bees and butterflies.

"What's that Alba?"

"Bubberfly!"

He chuckled, "No no Alba, it's a butterfly"

We got to Sherlock's favourite spot of the orchard. The huge willow tree, with a Brooke running by

He picked me out of the pram and lay me on the grass, sighing. He turned his head and looked at me for a second and then turned it back, admiring the leaves.

This was my first time in the orchard, and it really struck me as a beautiful place. I was then picked up and napped from my thoughts.

He held his arms out and began to jiggle me, giggling. This was the first time I had heard him laugh and it was so good.

The serious boy I saw when I first met him had gone; a newer, more playful one had taken his place.


	6. Christmas

Mother answered the door.  
"Ah Thomas! Jane how are you?!" she said, "How long has it been? Five years, and my you've made an addition to your family too!"  
I looked at the two girls that were either side of their father. They were identical, in every way. Their hair; French plaited. Mother had tried to do that with me before, but it was too difficult. I just kept moving all the time! Their dresses, neatly ironed and the bow perfectly straight.  
"Hello, little Alba," my new uncle said, "Nice to meet you! My name is Uncle Thomas, but you can call me Tom,"  
I looked at him. His eyes filled with delight. The wrinkles around his eyes had been carved with the harsh glare of the sun; and his whole domineer didn't look like a 'Tom' at all.  
"This is Emily and Charlotte, say hello girls!" he beckoned.  
"Hello Alba," they both said in unison.  
I just hid behind Sherlock's leg. Holding onto the material of his trousers.  
"Alba, it's ok. Just say hello" Sherlock pleaded. But I shook my head. It was too scary, meeting new people.

"Hello," I mumbled after a while. Sherlock gave a small smile towards me and looked back towards the twins, "Would you like to come upstairs?" he asked the pair. They both nodded vigorously, "Well then, come with me."  
He led the way up the stairs and took them into the upstairs greeting room. I followed clutching onto his jacket.  
"So this will be your 'living room' along with your parents. Now would you both like a drink?" They both nodded, "Alba?" I too nodded.  
Sherlock put his hand behind his back and released the grip on my hand. But I just clutched onto his hand instead, "Alba, do want me to get Bunsen?"

I nodded.  
He crouched down to my height, and ruffled my hair. This made me giggle.  
Sherlock got up and walked into my room, picking up Bunsen. Gave it to me and wandered downstairs to get the drinks. When he came back up, he gave the girls some water and me some squash in a bottle.  
"Sherlock!" Mother called up, "Come down please?"  
"Oh. Sorry Alba, I would stay up here, you know I would, but mother wants me to go downstairs, and be 'part of the adults'" His cheesy grin lifted my spirits.  
"Coming!" He called.  
I was then left with the twins. The annoying twins that I had only met for about half an hour at the time.  
"So what are we going to do?" Emily asked.  
A moments silence passed, as I was too shy to talk. I shrugged, "Whatever, I'm going to read" I muttered.  
"Aha she speaks!" Charlotte exclaimed.  
I looked at her with a scowl. At the time I didn't know that it was a joke, but at that age I thought she was making fun of me. The girls both went to our bookshelf and picked out a boring picture book, that I had read when I was two, and now I was four. But I was reading Pride and Prejudice. I was already four chapters in and starting to see some of the plot twists. _"Oh! You are a great deal too apt, you know, to like people in general. You never see a fault in anybody. All the world are good and agreeable in your eyes. I never heard you speak ill of a human being in your life."_

This was the main character talking about her sister, Jane._  
_"What are you reading Alba?" Emily asked.  
"Pride and Prejudice," I replied. They both stared at me with a quizzical expression on their faces, "Come on, don't tell me you've never heard of it before!"  
Nothing.  
I went back to my book.  
A few minutes later, Charlotte piped up.  
"You're not as pretty as us Alba, are you?"  
I ignored this, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and they by far were not pretty.  
But again after a couple of minutes, Emily piped up again.  
"Your brother's a bit weird isn't he?"  
"What?" I asked. At that remark it felt like she had punched me in the stomach.  
"Well Sherlock, he's just weird. And he looks like a horse!" she replied.

No one, ever had said this, and even though her sister thought she was the prettiest girl in the world, it was quite mean. The anger rushed through my body, and a little voice pushed into the front of my mind _'Do something about her'_ it said. I put down my book, and ran into the experiment room looking frantically around. There on the table, was the rat that Sherlock and I hadn't finished dissecting yet. I picked it up with my bare hands and ran to the other room. They looked at me with a fur ball cupped in my hands, and screamed as I squirted them with it. I shook it too, to make it even funnier. I ran back to the experiment room, placed it back in the wooden block and quickly washed my hands under the sink.  
I sprinted down the stairs, casually wandered into the lounge, and as innocently as I could, sat next to Sherlock and snuggled next to him. He knew something was up, but didn't say anything. A herd of elephants ran down the stairs and entered the lounge too. My cousins stood, their faces dripping with blood. Their hair, covered with intestines and guts. A look of fury covering their faces.  
I wanted to scream with laughter. Their beautiful, floaty dresses now stained with blood. I could see Sherlock look down at me too, with a frowny-smile on his face. I stood up, with a serious look on my face. "What, why did you go into my experiment room for. That's private! No one should go in there except Sherlock and me! Why on earth did you go in?" I shouted as best I could to keep a straight face. This was much funnier then I imagined. They looked at me with their mouths open. Hook, line and sinker. I had them now. I sat down and hugged Sherlock, pretending to cry. Their parents looked shocked. They herded their daughters out of the room, and both gave them a huge telling off.

The five of us, all sat there in silence; but I could tell they knew what had happened.

The family left very quickly after that. Apologising continuously throughout their departure. At last now that distraction was out the way. I could focus more on experiments with Sherlock. I ran upstairs to the room when they left and sat down on one of the stools, reading up on anatomy. Sherlock then joined me.  
"Alba, I want you to tell me truthfully. Why did you do that," he said, crouching to my height. His eyebrows were raised and he looked into my eyes.  
"Well," I said confidently, "They were really getting on my nerves"  
"Still no excuse to cover them, in 2 day old rat blood is it?" he asked sternly  
I shrugged, "They said that I wasn't very pretty,"  
"Alba," he said putting his fingertips on the corner of his eyes.  
"No No hear me out! They also said that you were weird! And that you looked like a horse,"  
Suddenly his fingers came from his eyes and he bent down to talk to me again.  
"Alba, as much as I appreciate the gesture. I don't care what people say about me. Yes I may look like a horse, but they weren't lookers themselves. Don't worry about me, I have survived for 16 years on my own and have lived through it all before. So don't you worry about me ok?" he asked.  
I looked at the floor, "Okay" I mumbled. For the first time ever, Sherlock's arms wrapped around me. As surprised as I was, the only thing I could do was squeezed him back tightly.  
"Now. Shall we do some experiments?" he asked holding me at arm's length. I nodded vigorously.

We then proceeded to look at different samples of blood. He took a sample in a pipette and squirted a drop onto the microscope slide and places it into the microscope.  
"Look down there,"  
I did, and saw a mass volume of red blood cells. There were hundreds and hundreds all over the lens picture.

"Horse!" I exclaimed.  
"Good, how did you get that?" he asked.  
"Because there are loads of red blood cells. And this animal does load of exercise, so it has to get more oxygen. So there are more red blood cells,"  
I looked back at Sherlock, who really looked impressed.  
"Harder one now, what's this?" I looked into the microscope again and stared for a while.  
"Sheep!"  
"How can you tell?" Sherlock asked, surprised at how quickly I got it.  
"Because I can tell that the animal led a slow, unproductive life, and didn't really need that much exercise so it didn't need that many red blood cells,"  
He nodded, impressed. He then got out a needle from the syringe and pricked himself in the finger. With his other hand, he pushed a drop of blood up and spread it on another microscope slide and slid it into the microscope.  
"Tell me about that?"  
I gazed down and saw the blood cells caked in something. They were fading too every so often, dying rapidly. I looked at Sherlock.  
"You're smoking," I replied. He looked at me and blinked.  
"Why would you say that?"  
"Because your blood is covered in a slimy, sticky substance. And you're blood cells aren't that healthy,"

Sherlock looked at me. I knew the thoughts that were running around his head frantically. I think it hurt him a little that I had been able to deduce things quicker than him, but at the time I think that in his head, he wondered whether I would tell mother or not.  
"That's just stupid! You've obviously been spying on me! Or your just making that up!" he exclaimed.  
I looked blankly at him as he stormed out of the room.

'_What did I do?'_  
I ran into my room and landed on my bed clutching the pillow and crying.  
"Alba?" Mycroft knocked outside my door and entered, "Oh Alba, what's wrong?" he asked perching on the side of my bed.  
"I think I may have upset Sherlock!"  
"What happened?"  
"I just deduced something about him, and he over reacted a bit, well a lot actually!"  
Mycroft put his hand on my shoulder, "That's just Sherlock, he'll cool down eventually" he said rubbing his hand on my arm, "Now would you like some dinner?"  
I shook my head, "No thank you Mycroft, I'm not hungry."  
He nodded and left the room. "Come downstairs if you want anything?" and with that he closed the door.  
That night I stayed in bed until the morning. Raw eyes and hungry. I vowed to myself I would never deduce something about Sherlock again, and if I had to, I would make it up.


	7. School

Over the next week Sherlock and I didn't talk. I felt scared towards him, talking to him terrified me. Even thinking about it sent a shiver down my spine.  
He always looked annoyed at me too, like he was concerned that he would hear me say something obvious or annoying that he clearly knew.  
So Sherlock left. But Instead of coming down stairs to wish him well, I stayed up in my room, and watched as the car drove off with him.  
Mycroft came into my room.  
"Alba? Are you ok? Why didn't you come to see Sherlock off?" he asked. I looked at him with a small tear running down my cheek.  
"Alba!" he cooed, wrapping his arms around me, "Why are you so upset, you'll be seeing him in no time!"  
"But I offended him, and I didn't mean to, but..."  
"Ssh,"  
"Now come and have some supper," he took my hand and led me down the stairs.

The next September it was time for me to go to school. I woke up earlier than I had before, and the shock almost killed me. I sat up on the edge of my bed and saw the neatly ironed clothes out for me. I quickly got changed out of my pyjamas and pulled on my tights. The thick woollen grey pair were really hot on my legs. I then put on my pleated grey school skirt and buttoned up the light blue crisp school shirt, with their logo embroidered onto It. 'Wickers Prep School'' In golden Italic letters.  
The only thing I had trouble with though was the tie. I tried it the first time, but It just knotted, and It did so again the second time. So I walked Into Mycroft's office  
"Mycroft? Could you help me with my tie please?"  
He nodded his head and in one quick movement the tie was knotted, "Mycroft, I don't want to go to school"  
He shook his head, "Alba, none wants to go to school, on their first day, but you've had a longer holiday than most. Mother and Father do think It Is stupid for you to attend school for the first year, but they have pushed It long enough" I looked gloomily at the floor," Now go and get your blazer on"  
I left the room and found my blazer draping over the desk chair. I slipped it on and found my school shoes at the bottom of my bed. Took Sherlock's old book bag and slugged down the stairs. Mother was making my lunch.  
"What would you like In your sandwiches Alba?" she asked. I thought for a moment.  
"Ham please," I replied sitting at the table for breakfast. I grabbed the cornflakes and poured into the bowl. Tipped In the milk and began eating," This is now very weird" Mother said as It danced on her tongue, "My three babies, have all gone to school, you know I remember when Sherlock went to school, he was so annoyed, but I stapled him In the car and drove with him still writhing about!" she sighed deeply," Still eat your breakfast, we need to get going In twenty minutes" I nodded and gave her a smile. My mother had always been there for me, but I suppose that's what a mother has to do really.  
I was disturbed by Mycroft launching himself down the stairs.  
"Good Morning Mother! You're up early?" I looked at her that was quite true. Normally Mother woke up at eight or nine o'clock.  
"Yes it is quite a shock to me too, but I have the school run to do, no thanks to your father!"  
Mycroft hummed In agreement.  
I was beginning to notice that Mother and Father were arguing more, but didn't think anything of It. Parents argue big deal. I just wanted Sherlock back as my friend again.  
When I finished breakfast, I skipped up the stairs and took the straw boater from Mothers bed. The trim hat had a tri coloured ribbon running around the top head part. Sectioning off top and bottom. It itched too on my scalp.  
I didn't want to wear it, so I took it off and carried It down the stairs.  
"Alba I thought you went to put on your hat? Give It here," she said yanking It out of my hand. She screwed It onto my head and took out the camera.  
"Now, say cheese!"  
I looked deep into the lenses of the camera and gave a half-hearted smile. I was tired, in pain and Itchy from this first day of school. In the car however, I was silent. Mother looked in the rear view mirror, "You're very quiet Alba" I looked up, and saw my mother looking back up and shot away from her glare. I hummed again In agreement, but evaded her gaze.  
"Now Sherlock and Mycroft both went to this school, so don't worry if your teachers recognize the surname,"  
I nodded.

When I arrived at the school gates, there were hundreds of cars, chauffeurs, and parents milling about. Mothers hugging their children, chauffeurs letting the children out, children meeting friends. I looked at all of them down my nose, posh boarders all with their own cliques, and thankfully I wasn't part of them.  
Mother kissed me goodbye and straightened my boater, "Now, you know what time I'm picking you up, and you have your lunch?" she asked.  
I nodded my head.  
"Good, now chin up and I'll see you at three thirty!"  
I pecked her on her cheek and walked away.

I looked across the school grounds and saw mother drive away. One girl stared at me as I walked to the classroom door. I could see out of the corner of my eye, them whispering, bur thought nothing of it, they were just trying to look cool (and failing).  
"OI newbie?" she beckoned. I Ignored her.  
"Newby, hello I'm talking to you!"  
I turned round to look at her. She looked awful. Even though she was 'popular' her hair clothes were ruined. Her hair looked as If she had gone through a hedge backwards, and her uniform, was appalling, creased and crumpled. She stood proud though.  
"What?" I demanded, rolling my eyes.  
"Oh calm down, I was only going to ask about your uniform, It looks so battered. Couldn't your parents pay for a new uniform?"  
I frowned at her, "Oh and what happened to your uniform? Shrunk In the wash?"  
I left her after that.  
The bell tolled and we all lined up. I looked for the first year line, noticing that the girl I had just had the argument with was also in there too.  
A teacher walked out In front of us with a clipboard in her hands.  
"If you would like to follow me, boys and girls we'll make our way into the room.

The ducklings followed her and walked into the room. I gazed around.  
Around the walls there were posters of numbers, letters, and school topics. Pegged up posters and word cards. All intended to help us learn. For me it was a distraction; Sherlock had always taught me  
without the help they had.

I sat down in one of the chairs near the front and looked over to my left. There sat was a small, shy girl. Her face glowed pink and she hid it from view.  
"Hello, what's your name?"  
She looked at me, so I smiled," Cathy" she whispered, looking away again.  
"My name's Alba!"  
She turned her head back around and a small smile came onto her lips'.  
"Now then class!" the teacher called, "Seeing as I do not know your names, and you don't know mine, I would like you to write your names on this card. You can make it as creative as you like, okay?"  
I looked at all the children, their heads down, concentrating hard.

I put up my hand.

"What Is it dear?" Mrs Philips asked.

"Miss, sorry, but even though you're using this to learn people's names, I'm pretty sure you'll learn It pretty quickly, and albeit you might argue that It would be useful for you, It would be very boring for me," the teacher looked at me bewildered.

"W-well what is your name?"

"Alba Holmes, miss," She squashed her lips together, "well, would you be able to write your name for me?" she asked, handing me a clean sheet of paper.

I took a pen from the box and began _Alba Holmes_

She looked at It carefully, "Well thank you Alba, I'll allow you to read then,"

I nodded and took my book from my bag. This time I was reading _Jane Eyre._ '_"No sight so sad as that of a naughty child," he began, "especially a naughty little girl. Do you know where the wicked go after death?"___

_"They go to hell," was my ready and orthodox answer.___

_"And what is hell? Can you tell me that?"___

_"A pit full of fire."___

_"And should you like to fall into that pit, and to be burning there forever?"___

_"No, sir."___

_"What must you do to avoid it?"___

_I deliberated a moment: my answer, when It did come was objectionable: "I must keep in good health and not die."_

"Miss Holmes?" The teacher asked again. I looked up blankly, wanting to know what happened to Jane, "What are you reading?" I looked at the book and then back at her.

"Jane Eyre," I replied.

Her eyes light up.

"Come with me please, Miss Holmes," I nodded and got out of my sea. Following her out of the classroom; ignoring the others nudging each other and whispering. Mrs Philips led me to the other end of the corridor.

"Please wait here, I shall call you up when ready," I nodded and she slipped up the stairs. After a while, she called me up, so I joined her.

As I walked up the stairs I saw photographs of past pupils: Prizes won in tournaments and school trips. When I stood at the top of the stairs, the sign on the door said 'Mr. Kingston'.

At the desk, an old man sat, his elbows on the table and his glasses hanging from his right hand, chewing on the end. A wrinkled smile greeted me when I entered.

"Miss Holmes! Please take a seat," He pointed to the seat in front of him. I sat down but because the seat was high my feet didn't touch the floor.

"Now, I understand that you are in the first year, but Mrs Philips tells me – what was it again?" _  
_ "Well, she can write her own name and reading very advanced books,"

"What should that matter, I have two hundred and fifty students who can all write their names and read advanced books,"

Mrs Philips looked at me, "Alba, dear, would you be able to show Mr. Kingston how you write your name?"

I picked up an old envelope on his desk along with a pen and wrote again: _Alba Holmes_

He stared at It, "And Alba may I ask what you are reading?"  
"Jane Eyre," I replied, "Although I have also read Pride and Prejudice before now"

A silence filled the room, "That must have taken you a few weeks to read surely?"  
"No, No sir, just five days,"

" Um... Eh bien, que voulez-vous que nous fassions? "Miss Philips asked.

""Je ne sais pas!"

"Euh madame et monsieur, je parle en français aussi, ''

They looked at me, stunned. Very nearly fluent in French, thinking about it Sherlock had taught me alot.

"Um Miss Holmes, please could you just wait outside for a minute?" I nodded and walked out the door, waiting it the spiral of the stairs. Looking at the pictures. I noticed that in the completion section, Sherlock's face cropped up on everything involved with science. I noticed first his big bushy hair, getting curlier throughout each year. The next one I spotted was Mycroft. His straight hair shinning. He stood proudly beaming from ear-to-ear as he help up a trophy. I read underneath _first prize, Maths Quiz_I smiled at the at the rosy faced little boy, proud but unknowing of his future,

Miss Philips walked out and looked at me, "Miss Holmes, please come with me"

Her air had changed; she'd obviously had an argument with the head. She led me through the corridor; going past each class watching nearly three hundred children turn their heads, looking quizzically.

We went up another flight of stairs at the other end of the corridor. I followed her with my head down, but as I wasn't looking were I was going, i walked straight into her.

"Sorry Miss,"  
When i looked up, her lips were pursed together.

"You'll stay here for today, and maybe for the whole week, I haven't decided yet,"

She left me at the door.

I grabbed the door handle and walked into the library. Classical music played across the room, where books lay all around, as if they hadn't been sorted for years.

_I wonder if Sherlock was ever here__... __well it's obvious that he was here, just look at the room. _

"Hello dear,"

I looked to where the sound had come from. A woman popped her head up from a pile of books.

"Can I help you?"

"Sorry miss, I've been told to stay here all day,"

"Why?"

I shrugged.

"Well you'd better make yourself comfortable!"


	8. Library

I sat looking at the clock. Tick, tick, tick, tick.  
_Come on_ I thought. It was lunch time and for once I was hungry. Maybe it was because I had read three books in the morning but I was never really hungry.

I looked back to my book, though couldn't care less. They had none of the classics, so I was stuck with some whishy - washy author from twenty years ago. I looked at the clock again, but nothing had happened. Time hadn't changed.

"Are you alright dear?" Enid the librarian asked.  
I nodded, "Yes thanks, I think I'll have my lunch now, you don't mind do you?"  
She smiled and shook her head, "You carry on dear, I'll see you later"  
This had been my life now for two days straight. After I had been registered I would rush upstairs and read, but it didn't really work as all the books I had planned to read, were at home.  
As I walked down the stairs with my lunchbox close to my chest, I made sure I didn't pass anyone in the other classrooms. Instead, I wandered out of the fire exit and ran towards the trees.  
The refreshing breeze hit me and I managed to get into a sunny spot of the tree.  
As I sat eating, I noticed how unappetising the sandwich looked. That was why I didn't have lunch. It mainly wasn't very interesting. I sat however and stared into the blue. The field was much like the one at home. Full of luscious trees and bright green grass. I sat staring again, but noticed a face coming into view.  
"Hello!"

I blinked, letting my eyes focus.  
"Hello?" I replied looking up it was Cathy, the girl I met before.  
"Where've you been all this time? I was starting to get worried!"  
I stayed silent, eating my lunch.  
"Are you ok? You're very quiet,"  
I hummed in agreement.

"Hang on! Why are you out here? You haven't been let out of class yet?" I asked. Cathy looked down, guiltily.

"They think I've gone to the toilet. And I-I did don't worry, but I'm not hungry,"

I nodded again, but looked at her. She was pretty, long eyelashes outlined her eyes and her long auburn hair glinting in the sunlight.

"So are you just exceptionally clever, or does Mrs Philips just not like you?" She asked.

"A bit of both I think,"

As I looked back at Cathy, she smiled. So I smiled back, although the feeling hurt my lips.

"So d'you have a brother or sister or anything?"

"Two brothers, you?"

She thought for a bit, "Three brothers and a sister. Um... James, John, David, me and Jess. But she's _way, way_ older than me; I don't know her that well. What's your brothers' name?"  
"Mycroft and Sherlock, they're both older than me,"

"By how much?"  
"You mean many. Um... Sherlock's sixteen years older and Mycroft is twenty-three years older,"

She looked at me and smiled. I smiled to, but a dark shadow fell over us.

"Oh look who it is, it's newbie and the ghost! Making friends, aw 'ent that cute!"  
I looked at her, "Well for one thing your grammar isn't very good. It's isn't not 'ent, so looks like your name needs to be newbie as you need to be dropped down a year. And secondly... Just go away!"  
The girls cackled. I started to laugh too, but as I did so I slapped her around the face. The cackling stopped and tears welled up in her eyes.  
"What's your name anyway?" I asked  
"Penny," she replied through her tears. I nodded and as she ran off, probably to get a teacher.  
"Wow that was..." Cathy stopped  
I looked back at her and sat down again, "Sorry. I don't usually do that,"

The break ran by, as we talked about our brothers, finding out that they were very similar in some way or another.  
"So what's your brother do?" I asked.  
"Well James is training to work in IT, and John wants to work in medicine. I don't know what area though. Jess wants to be a historian, but she's at secondary school at the moment. And David works as a chef in this really posh restaurant. But I can't remember what it's called... Um... The Savvy. The-The Sav-Savoy! That's it! So what do your brothers do?"  
"Well Mycroft is part of the government, MoD something like that,"  
Cathy looked at me quizzically.  
"MoD, it's like this big government protection agency that help the queen," She nodded but I could see she still didn't understand.  
"And Sherlock is going into the police force, but he told me a secret so don't tell anyone, but Sherlock's going to invent a job called a Consultanting Detective, which means that when the police are out of their depth, they go to him!"  
"Is that true, he's really going to do that job?" she asked.  
I nodded, "Yeah he told me! And Sherlock would never lie to me"

After a while the bell went for the end of lunch and I skipped back up to the library.  
As I sat back in the makeshift den, (I made earlier) I thought about that lunch. I had actually made my first friend.


	9. An Unlikely Surprise

Mother arrived to pick me up at half past three exactly. But I found Cathy in the playground with her Mother.  
"Bye Alba! See you tomorrow!" she called. I waved back to her  
"Bye Cathy!"  
"Who was that Alba?" Mother asked.  
"Cathy. I met her today,"  
Mother nodded," Why don't you invite her for tea?"  
"Can I?"  
"Yes, if you really want to," I grinned.  
Mycroft often had people over, although apparently it wasn't because they were there to play; they were there to work.

On the long journey home, I planned everything I would show her. Mine and Sherlock's lab, the old book collection, the garden; everything.

As I entered the house, I dumped my bags in the hall and ran upstairs to plan an experiment for the next day. It included a small quantity of hydrochloric acid and some sheep brains. When I rushed in, a huge shape came into view.  
"Sherlock?" I asked. He looked up and gave me a small smile.  
"Hello Alba,"  
I ran to go to hug him, but stopped. I knew that he hated me still.  
"No Alba, it's fine, you can hug me,"  
I wrapped my arms around him, listening to his heartbeat. Tentatively, he placed his arms around me. I smiled, he'd forgiven me.

After a while, he took his arms off me and continued to examining under the microscope again.  
"What are you doing?" I asked. He looked at me,  
"I found some sheep's brains in the fridge, Mother said I could use them,"  
My face fell," Oh" I replied.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I was going to use that, but it doesn't matter, you've might not have used all of it,"  
But when I looked over, there were huge amounts of different instruments all containing different parts of the brain. I sighed.  
"Well I have this left?" he suggested, and held up a bag with a tiny amount left in. I shrugged with a half smile on my face. Sherlock left the brain on the table.  
"So what's your experiment idea?"  
"Sheep's brain and Hydrochloric acid,"

From the corner of his eye he watched me. I knew that he had already done the experiment before but he didn't say anything.

I took a pipette from the draw and a bottle of acid from the cupboard. Sucked up two cubic centimetre and placed it on top of a sheet of newspaper. Took the brain and cut out a small chunk to put in a test-tube. I squirted it with the acid and watched. The acid bubbled and fizzes as it dissolved the brain cells, I smiled.  
"Well done Alba! Very good." said Sherlock. I grinned at him,  
"You think?"  
"Yes, very good,"

I grabbed the notebook from the shelf and flicked back to the last experiment Sherlock and I did together: the blood test. He looked over my shoulder and saw the records I had kept. Pages and pages of notes: Conclusions, predictions, outcomes, and photographs of every experiment I did.

A small smile came onto his face.  
"You kept it up,"  
I nodded happily. Taking a picture of this experiment and recording the instruments I used.

All of a sudden, Sherlock got up and walked into his room. When he came back he had a few sheets of paper in his hand.  
"Try this,"

I looked at the sheets he had given me. 'Qu 1' it said, 'two ducks and two dogs have a total of 14 legs'. There were two options, _true_ or _false_. I ticked false; they would have a total of twelve legs.  
I carried on with the test though it only took me about three quarters of an hour. During that time, Sherlock went downstairs to get himself a coffee. When he came back, I was about half way through it.

"Done!" I announced. Sherlock smiled as he began to mark the paper.

"Well Alba," he said, "This is a surprise. You got a score of 95 for your IQ, that's quite good for a five year old!"

"That was IQ test, I did?" I asked.

"Yes, I thought you knew that?" he replied.

I shrugged, I guess I did, but I was still grinning on the inside because of my score.

After a while we were both called down to dinner, although Sherlock said that he didn't need any, despite all of Mother's protests.

About half way through the meal Mother asked about my school day.

"It was ok I suppose," I replied, "But the teacher doesn't like me, so for the past two days I've had to stay in the library and read,"

Mother looked shocked,

"How dare they!" She exclaimed, "That bloody private school costs me a hell of a lot of money every term and they have the cheek to make you read! Well that's it, I am going to the school first thing tomorrow morning and settling this once and for all!"

I looked at my mother, I'd never seen her so angry before.

"Mother it really is OK. I don't think that the year I'm in have anything else left to teach me. A lot of the curriculum that they will be studying, Sherlock has already taught me," I replied calmly.

"Alba, that is still no excuse. Your father and I pay that school to _teach_ you not to let you read at school, whilst Sherlock spends most of his time teaching you; when he has University work to get on with,"

"Mother, the course work they set me takes me less than an hour to complete, so I can do what I like. Anyway, it's fun teaching Alba, gives me something to do," Sherlock argued.

I smiled, but Mother was far from satisfied.

"No, no, I'm phoning the school this moment! They are not treating you like a class reject and abandoning your education just because you are much cleverer than everyone else!"

As mother got up from her seat, the phone rang.

"Hello? Holmes residence," she said blindly to who was on the other end.

There was a short pause as the 'hello' was returned.

"Right, yes um…"

Another pause.

"Well Thank you, I shall ask about that,"

There was another quick pause before Mother returned with a 'Thank you' and a 'Goodbye'

As she came back though, her face had turned to thunder.

"That was the school. Apparently, Alba Holmes, you hit a girl today,"

_Oh that._ I thought.

"Well she deserved it!" I said matter-of-factly.

"Alba!" she scolded.

"Mother she did, I was only saying." Mother looked at her wine glass.

"Well anyway , due to your outburst, we're going to see your head master tomorrow morning,"

I moaned discreetly, so as Mother couldn't hear.

I spent that evening in the gloom, wondering what Mother stopped her shouting for. But then my eyes began to close, I just wanted to get some sleep.


	10. Moving

When I woke up, the sunlight streamed through the window. I was so tired last night that I forgot to close the blinds and as I gazed at the clock, I noticed that the time was 4:25. I was up at daybreak.

Something started to make a beautiful sound. I got up from my bed and walked to the other end of the corridor. The silhouette of Sherlock stood at the front of the door. His right arm was swaying back and forth as his left hand pressed on different combinations of strings.  
All of these notes Sherlock played made me feel happier. Sherlock was composing and from what I could tell he was in a good mood.  
Mother told me a while back that when Sherlock came home from school or during the holidays that Sherlock used to spend hours on his violin and because he did so, he jumped nearly all the grades in one small leap of skill. She told me one year that she could always tell what mood Sherlock was in just by listening to the notes he played and the key he was in. If he played smoothly dances like Handel or Haydn then he was in a good mood, but if it was certain types of Mozart or Beethoven then he was in a terrible mood. I sighed happily. I'd longed to hear Sherlock play and now my wish came true.

Suddenly, he stopped playing, put the instrument down and turned round - almost bumping into me.

"Sorry Sherlock!" I exclaimed.  
He frowned, "What are you saying sorry for?" he asked. I looked down shyly.  
"Oh, um, well... I was just listening to you playing. It's really good."  
"Well thank you Alba, but you didn't need to apologise for it. Just listen whenever you want," I nodded," Could you play something else, Sherlock" I asked - expecting a 'no'.

Silence passed for a while.  
"What would you like me to play?"  
"Well I, I don't really know much about music but-"  
"Shall I play the one you just heard again?" he asked. I nodded vigorously.  
"Well then. Take a seat," he said pointing to a chair with his bow.

I listened to the whole song, giggling to myself whenever he turned round and bobbed his head at one of the happy parts - if anything had to be said about our relationship it would be that he always knew how to make me laugh.

He finished and I gave him a huge round of applause with my tiny hands. He did a little bow with his bow going over his chest and I giggled.  
"That was really good!" I exclaimed.  
He set the instrument down, "D'you think?"  
I nodded.  
"Come with me!" he said walking out of his bed room. I followed him into the experiment room.

When we got there, all I saw was a microscope,  
"Look down there," he said pointing to the device.  
When I did I saw hundreds of tiny bacteria all swimming about the lens.I looked back up with a surprised grin on my face, "What does this mean?" I asked hopefully.  
"It means that I have passed my university coursework!" he said with a small smile.

I felt extremely giddy after that, knowing my brother had passed. It felt weird though, having a brother move away.  
Quickly, I got changed into my school uniform and sprang back into the experiment room, looking back into the microscope. It really was amazing. Sherlock was still sat there, but this time he was in a crisp clean shirt, trousers and had his blue dressing gown draping over him.  
He smiled as I looked back up from it.

I then left him and strolled down the stairs, grinning like the Cheshire cat. I managed in the space of a few minutes - to eat, brush my teeth and stand at the front door before mother came downstairs.  
"You're up early Alba?" she asked as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes.  
I nodded, "I forgot to close my curtains so the light came in and woke me" I replied shrugging occasionally.  
"Well at least you haven't slept in like Sherlock did one morning,"  
As she said that he walked down the stairs.  
"You're still not going on about that story are you Mother? Look, I just simply forgot to set my alarm. Simple enough of you think about it,"  
"Well thank god I was there to wake you up! Otherwise Mr Kentworthy would probably have challenged you to a joust, you know what he was like!" she said walking into the kitchen.  
"Who was Mr Kentworthy?" I asked, my eyebrows knitted together.  
"Mr Kentworthy was my old History tutor who had a weird way of punishing his students. Instead of a detention or a sanction, he decided it would be good to either give the student a dunce cap and sit in the corner of the room. Or joust with him with a mop or broom that  
he decorated himself. He was weird but still a really good teacher," Sherlock mumbled into my ear.  
I nodded although I didn't really know what a Dunce cap was.

Two hours later, I got into the car with Mother following stayed at home and continued his experiments which were what I wanted to do, rather than to a boring old school.

The car started and so did Mother's nagging.  
"I don't want to hear of this or any other incident like this Alba Holmes. I did not bring up my children to hit people when they were annoyed. You have quick wits so use that, instead of your fists,"  
"To be fair Mother, I didn't really use my fists; it was just my palm," I said, watching the uncontrollable words fall out of my mouth.

I looked up at her, but flinched my head back. Her face looked like thunder and death combined. I knew I had answered back, but my brain just spewed them out. We didn't speak for a while. I was too terrified that something else rude would fall out of my mouth before I could clamp it shut.

"Well anyway, because of this your punishment will have to be made and I have decided it already. I'm not going to buy you any samples of tissue to dissect or science experiments to make. The experiment room - for you - is out of bounds for one week."

I stared at my mother. That was a bit extreme even for her. Mother always wanted us to do experiments. I was about to protest but knew that if I did either the experiment room would be out of bounds for two weeks, or Mother would become a fire breathing dragon at that moment.

When we arrived at the school gates, barely anyone was there. Instead of the jumble of people before, this time there were only a few people milling about. I knew we were early, but I expected more people to be here.

I gingerly walked up the stairs to his office. Mother had made it like a route march, so already I was put of puff. She knocked on the door and waited. He called for is to come in so mother opened the door.  
"Ah Mrs Holmes, please do take a seat," he said pointing to the seats in front of the desk, "Now then. Alba, I would like to say that we do not tolerate this kind of behaviour at this school. It's one thing to insult but to assault..." he said shaking his head," This will need  
action. You must understand that this behaviour cannot go unnoticed-"  
"Believe me Sir, but her father and I have dealt a fair and just punishment for her, and have taken swift action against her,"  
"That might be so, but I still want it know by your daughter that the behaviour she showed yesterday is still not acceptable in the school,"  
I sat there, not listening. He was so boring, droning on about rules and ethics of the school. When my mother told him that they had given me a 'fair and just punishment' I had to look at her. Fair and just punishment - my Chemistry set! How dare she say that banning me from using my room was a fair punishment!  
I fumed whilst he and Mother were talking, thinking about all of the wrong things they had said.  
"Sometimes children become bored or annoyed, which makes them hyperactive or aggressive. That's very common in school especially when they might not have had contact with children of their own age before,"

I hated this conversation so I tuned out. He had no right to talk about me like this! It was like I wasn't even there, just a spirit floating in the air. At times I just wanted to say 'Hello! I am here you know!' but that wouldn't make any difference, they'd just ignore me again.

"Maybe her circular activities are making her this way-" said Mr Kingston.  
"Yes, with that I'd like to know why a member of your staff decided it would be a good idea to deposit my child into the library and make her read and not learn anything whilst all of your other pupils have a good old time learning what they need to for their future. That isn't entirely fair, 'sir'," she said the last bit with a hint of sarcasm  
wrapping the word. I knew she despised this teacher and the first year teacher - and so did I.  
"I pay you a hell of a lot to teach my daughter and that is what I expect, not to babysit! If I'd have wanted that I would have looked in the yellow pages!" she exclaimed. I had to give it to my mother, she knew how to argue! That was probably the trait Sherlock got from  
her.

The head looked a little sheepish. He'd never witnessed a woman like this - head strong and powerful. His eyes did the same as mine in the car. He looked at her and then flinched away. He looked quite funny.

"Well..." he said and cleared his throat," I didn't know that my colleague had done that. I defiantly told her to do something useful with your child to improve her education. Had I have known that she was put in the library... well let's just say that she may not be here  
now. I suppose the only right thing to do would be to apologise and do something about it,"  
My mother nodded with fire in her eyes.  
" If I had known that you had used this school as well for your sons then we may not have been so hasty. I think the only thing to put right would be for you to maybe move up a year and forget about this whole silly incident. Would you like to start on Year 2 on Monday and  
that might also stop all of the fighting," he whispered quietly to my mother about the fighting.

I fumed. I only slapped a girl and he was treating it as if I had machine gunned my whole year, to stop Penny from even talking!  
"How does that sound to you Alba?" he asked. I scowled at him. But because I didn't respond Mother gave me a tiny elbow,  
"Ouch!... Oh... Oh I mean yes, yes that's fine."

At that instant I regretted it. I had made a friend in that class and now, because I was moving up, again I would be alone. I wonder what Cathy would think...

I shook my head, I didn't care what Cathy thought of me.

"Well that settles it! Thank you very much Mrs Holmes! Please do feel free to call or email me if you feel something is wrong,"

Mother got up from her seat and tapped me to get up too.  
"Thank you, Goodbye," Mother said leading me out of the room.

We walked down the stairs, telling her about Mycroft and Sherlock in the pictures. For the first time this morning she giggled.

When we reached the ground floor, Mother pecked me on the cheek and delivered me to my classroom.

I stood there until she left and then ran up to the library. Enid marked me in and then I hid in my den, covering myself in cushions and blankets.

I didn't do anything that day, no reading, writing anything, I just hid, thinking about what had happened...

Maybe it would be fine after all.


	11. The Argument

**Thank you all for the follows, favorites and reviews and sorry I haven't updated in a while but I have been away (will update more though). Enjoy this one!**

At the end of the day, I got out of the den and slowly walked down the stairs with my face touching the floor.

Nothing seemed right. For one thing I was leaving my friend - although I did remember that we might see each other during some lunch breaks- and also that I would move up another year. It would jumble everything up and I wouldn't be able to spend my time in the library any more.

I found Mother standing next to the car, her arms crossed and her head darting about, looking for me.

"Ah there you are dear!" she said although she didn't need to ask me what I had been doing that day. I loaded myself into the car and Mother started the engine.

No one spoke on that long ride home, not one word.

I arrived home and rushed upstairs, dumping my bags on the floor. I then saw Sherlock sat in his bedroom, reading.

"Hello Alba. Are you alright?" he asked when he saw the sulk on my face.

"Yeah," I sighed," But I've been banned from the experiment room for a whole week and Mother calls that a _'fair and just punishment_!'" I cried.

"Well, Mother would have done the same to me when I was your age. Don't worry though Alba, Mother never really carries out her punishments, it's only Mycroft that does that. He likes to monitor things, don't know whether you realized?"

I sighed but realized what he said. _'Mother never carries out her punishments'_. My spirits lifted. I could go in after all, and if the very chance that she does come up the stairs to check on me, I'll simply run to my room and pick up a random book! That was it, I had it.

"Alba! Remember you are not allowed into the experiment room this week!" she called.

"Ok!" I lied but grinned from ear to ear.

That night, to keep up pretense, I stayed in my room and read. Nothing in my life had been more boring. I stayed in my room until dinner time and after dinner went upstairs again to read. No experiments with Sherlock just a boring book I had read a long time ago.

The only other thing I could think about doing was going to sleep. So at quarter past seven I settled down to sleep.

The next time I woke up was quarter past midnight when I heard a loud CRASH from downstairs. The next one came a little later and I startled me. My eyes widened as the sound flooded my ears and I switched on my bedside lamp. Another crash. I nearly yelped. It was terrifying; nothing was safe.

We were being burgled and they didn't care how much noise they made. I thought that Mother or Father would run downstairs to try and stop it, but instead what I heard shocked me.

"You are such an ignorant pig!" came a familiar voice.

That was Mothers voice, but surely she wasn't stealing from her own house?

"Well I wonder why?!" That was Father's voice this time.

I sat up in bed.

Why were they shouting at each other? Thoughts crossed my head, so I reacted in the only way I knew how. I quietly slipped out of bed and crept to Sherlock's room, making sure that I avoided all of the creaky floor boards that were in my path.

Suddenly, walking to Sherlock's room, didn't feel like it normally did - now it was a stealth mission. Every time I saw a shadow or heard another crash, I was silent. I stopped walking and even breathing.

It took me a while but I finally arrived at Sherlock's door and put up my fist to knock on his door.

"Come in Alba," he said before I had even pulled my hand back to start the first knock.

I instead opened his door and entered, seeing him sat up in bed with his bedside lamp on- reading.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked walking up to him.

"I heard you open your bedroom door," he replied, "And no. It wasn't loud enough for either Mother or Father to hear."

I nodded happily and sat on the side of his bed. Sherlock put the book down and pulled a corner of his bed sheet back. I lay in next to him but stayed static. Sherlock never did this, but when I looked up at his face I saw his eyebrows were raised and I slipped in next to him, resting my head on his shoulder.

The familiar scent if his deodorant wafted to my nostrils as I began to go to sleep again.

"I wish that they would just divorce already," he muttered. I looked up with a frown on my face,

"You're not serious?"

His eyes travelled down to mine.

"But why do you want them to divorce?"

"They've argued like this for five years, this particular argument has lasted for two years. It would be better for Father to just leave Mother, or vice versa," I dipped my head back down. I wondered what it would be like to have my parents' divorce - weird I suppose.

There was another crash and I flinched sliding down to the pillow that Sherlock was lying on. My heavy head did nothing else but sleep. Everything was about to change.


	12. Baby

The next morning, I saw nothing but an empty bed. Sherlock was up - probably setting something alight. I knew how bad it was for Sherlock to stay in bed. He only needed a couple of hours sleep, because his  
brain was so busy.

I got up and tried to find him. Sure enough he was sat looking into the microscope.  
"What are you doing?" I asked.  
"Looking at the differences between Cow milk and Goat milk," I nodded. Now that Sherlock had passed his University coursework, he was obsessed with dairy products. Not to eat but instead to discover  
under the microscope.  
So far he had left different types of cheese out in the sun with as much air and moisture, in order to grow mould (much to Mother's horror). I never knew why he was so obsessed with dairy, but I suppose it gave  
him something to do whilst he waited for his grades.  
"Alba! Get ready; we're going in forty-five minutes!" Mother called.  
I frowned. 'Why were we going? Actually, where were we going?'  
"It's a christening," Sherlock said as if reading my thoughts, concentrating on his experiment.  
"Who's christening?"  
"Don't know, a baby, who is in our family probably," I nodded but felt no more reassured than I did before he explained.

I walked to my room and found a dress in my wardrobe. Put it on and walked back into the experiment room. Sherlock was sat, still in his suit, but with no tie.

I wandered downstairs and had some breakfast, whilst Mother faffed and worried around me.  
"Oh we're going to be late!" she muttered.  
"No we're not Mother, I'm ready, Sherlock's ready, you're ready and Father's ready too," I looked at her. Even though she had done everything she could to try and cover it up, I could see the pain and tiredness in her eyes. I could see the little veins that were bright red.  
"No, no, your Father is not coming for the service. He'll make his way a bit later," she sighed.  
I was about to ask why but stopped myself. If mother wanted to talk about it, she could but I didn't want her to know that I was up at that time of night.

I finished my breakfast and got ready to go out. Mother told Sherlock to load into the car - much to his annoyance -and then me.  
I sat in the car and daydreamed. Mother tried to make conversation with Sherlock, but he either ignored it or hummed back.

We arrived at a huge church. A huge spire stood proud, casting a shadow over the churchyard.  
_St Anthony's Church_ the sign read.  
We greeted a woman I hardly knew. She stood tall though, in a flower print dress. Making sure to kiss only one cheek and smile.  
"Who's that?" I asked tugging on Sherlock's sleeve.  
"Who cares? She's not blood related, it's only Cousin Michael who is,"  
Mother greeted her, and then Sherlock. Mother then introduced me.

"Well it's very nice to meet you Alba!" she said with a plastic smile on her face.  
I gave a small smile back and marched inside.

When I walked in, there were hundreds of people all around.  
Most were my relatives and others were friends of the family. My head darted about, trying to see anyone I knew.  
"Ah and there's Mycroft!" Mother said as she walked in. Sherlock followed suit and walked to where Mycroft was. I stuck next to him like glue, not wanting to get lost in the sea of strangers.

Sherlock sat next to Mycroft and then Mother, but when I tried to sit next to Mother, Mycroft grabbed my hand and pulled me to sit in between him and Sherlock.  
I sighed; we would be here for a long time.

The ceremony finished and everyone got into their cars.  
"Is that it?" I asked bluntly.  
"No we still have a party to go to," Mother sighed.

On the way to the hall I stayed, clinging onto Mycroft this time. The only time I felt less secure than if I had clinged onto Sherlock. I entered the hall and was nearly knocked back with the deafening music  
in the room. _The baby hasn't arrived then_ I thought.

After a while, the music died down and nursery rhymes came on the stereo. At that moment, the baby came in – now not in the white gown for her ceremony.  
A round of applause erupted around the room.  
"Why are we clapping?" I asked.  
Sherlock shrugged.  
This was something else. I knew that a newly married bride and groom would be clapped because... Well because it was all part of the celebration, but a baby? _Why_!?

The music carried on and by the time I'd heard 'Nelly the Elephant' for the fourth time, my nerves couldn't take it any longer. Why would they pick a stupid singer, who didn't even know how to sing the tune, let alone know what the song was trying to say?

The buffet table was opened, and I elbowed my way forward. I was starving and just wanted anything to eat. However, the baby's mother and father were at the table first, taking what they wanted. So I had  
to wait. Looking like a lemon.

Tables were called one by one. I, however, crept in with the first table and began stacking my plate. Bread, crisps, sausage rolls, pork pies, sandwiches, coleslaw, pasta, potato salad!  
I walked casually back to the table and sat down.  
"Alba!" said Mycroft, scowling at me.  
"What?" I replied, throwing him back a frown, "I'm hungry!"

Thank God I didn't wait until my table was called up. Ours was table twenty three - the last one. By that point I imagine me eating my own foot to help ease the hunger pangs!

When my table went up, there was apparently little or no food left. So Mother brought back some nibbles and sausage rolls, Mycroft some sandwiches and Sherlock only came back with a tiny portion of potato salad.  
He was deducing as he ate - not wanting to indulge himself in family conversation.  
I gazed around the room too, although found nothing to analyze about anyone. It would take a while for me to learn my practice.

"Can we go now?" I asked.

"I suppose so," Mycroft replied with an air of tiredness in his voice.

I sighed gratefully.

But as I stood up to go, Mother took my arm and pushed me back onto my seat. I sighed again rolling my eyes. And so it continued.

The evening was long and boring: Speeches were made, toasts given and laughter at rather rubbish jokes if I'm honest. At these jokes however, all of the adults threw their heads back and laughed. I on the other hand stared at them, how could they have thought that _this_ was funny?

Thankfully it ended a little while later, when all the guests had gone and it was just us.  
"Hello Alba! I'm sure you don't remember me!" said my 'cousin'.  
"No I don't, who are you?"  
Mycroft's elbow shoved me a bit.  
"No, no it's okay Mycroft. I don't mind!" he said with a smile gracing his lips, "My name is Julian, pleased to meet you,"  
"Likewise," I replied, but was given a fierce glare from Mycroft again. I didn't understand why he stared at me. Sherlock used it all the time, but I wasn't allowed to?

"Did you enjoy the christening?" Julian asked. I nodded slowly, but knew that I was lying inside. I didn't enjoy it. The service was long, the vicar was boring and the baby lay crying for over half of it.

"Well then we'd best get going?"  
_Yes!_ I thought.  
"Actually, why don't you and Nancy come round for a cup of tea?" Mother asked.  
I looked at her.  
_Please don't say yes?_ _Please don't say yes?_ I bargained with him in my head.  
"You know what, I think that we'd be honoured, Adira,"

"Great,"  
The words slipped out of my mouth - I wanted to kick myself.  
"Well then, that's decided, Julian. We'll meet you back at our place!"

And with that we left.

On the way back I fumed. I was soo stupid! _How could I have let that__slip?_  
"Don't worry Alba, you did the right thing," Mother said.  
She was reading my thoughts too? Did I just not inherit that skill?  
"Anyway it will be nice spending time with your cousins. They really wanted to meet you when you were born but they couldn't find the time,"  
"Oh dear," I muttered, but that made Mother frown at me," Alright, I'm sorry" I replied.

We got home and Mother put the kettle on. I, on the other hand, sprinted upstairs and chucked off the dress I was wearing. I now despised dresses, just by the plain fact that I was a tom boy. I wasn't into pink, dolls or painting my nails. Instead, I liked my jeans and hoodie; I wasn't squeamish and _loved_ climbing trees.

The next person to arrive was Mycroft and followed a short time later was Julian and his family. Mother had made the tea and grabbed a cup and saucer from the table.

The adults sat talking for _ages_. So as I was getting bored I wandered upstairs to find my little cousin upstairs in _my_ room.  
She was sound asleep and now that I looked at her closely, she did look very cute. I never really like family.

_But for you I'll make an exception_ I thought, going back into the experiment room.


	13. Year Two

When my cousins had left, I sat on my bed and began reading. I had already devoured my way through four books in the last week.

At the moment I was Reading 'The Catcher in the Rye'. Although I didn't really understand it. It was a boy who ran away in order to _try and find himself_ whatever that meant?

_Surely he'd just look in the mirror and there he'd be?_

Mycroft had tried to explain it to me over dinner, but that just made it more confusing.

School was tomorrow, and I really was dreading it. All I could think about was school. Moving years and meeting new people all over again. I also thought about Cathy. She'd be alone again and would have to endure another year of Penny.

A few hours later Mother walked into my room and sat on my bed.  
"You were very good today Alba," she praised," I was very impressed. I know that you don't like to see your family much, but you did well my dear"  
I nodded, "Well it was good for me. It gave me a chance to deduce!" I replied. Mothers index and thumb tips went to the corners of her eyes.  
"Alba stop this,"  
"Stop what?"  
"You and Sherlock have this deluded fantasy that you can see the person's life history just by a quick glance. Normal people cannot do that, so neither can you,"  
"Are you saying I'm normal,"  
"No, No I'm not, but you do not have this power. All it is is guessing games and if you get it right then that's brilliant, but you're not,"

My eyebrows knitted together. I was about to argue that 'I could do it! I could!' but Mother would only have gotten cross, so I nodded in a state of surrender.

"Good now, go to sleep, you have school tomorrow," she said and lightly kissed me on the forehead.

I smiled and wriggled down into the covers. The light was turned off and I fell silent.

I went to sleep quite quickly, but still had that thought in my head. _Sherlock wasn't faking! He just wasn't!  
_  
I sat up in bed and looked down at the covers, pleating them. The only thing was that Sherlock never told me how he did it. He only ever told me that only he could do it.  
Mother stirred in her sleep, so I sunk back down in my bed covers. I closed my eyes and at a grinding pace fell completely asleep.

I woke up with a headache.  
Mother was drying her hair; Sherlock was trying to play his violin. The noise was pulsing through my ears. I shook my head, covered my ears, and then...

Silence.  
Ah...

I quickly got dressed into my school uniform and wandered into Sherlock's room. The violin was lying on the bed and his bow was on the music stand.  
"Sherlock?"  
He hummed.  
"According to Mother, you can't actually deduce, and you're going to do an ordinary job like Mycroft?"  
A smile pulled at his lips. He then started to giggle.  
"At last!" he shouted. I frowned, why _at last_? He saw the confusion on my face,  
"Mother believes that, because I told her. She's been on my case for... Well I don't know how long, but if she believes that I am going to do an ordinary job it will mean she'll stop annoying me about it, do you understand?"

I nodded.

It was quite a clever plan.

I tumbled down the stairs, had breakfast, and wandered back up to clean my teeth. About fifteen minutes later, I was ready to go.

I got into the car. This time though, it was not my Mother who took me to school.  
"Hello Miss Holmes, my name is Carl, I'm Mycroft's driver, and I'll be taking you to school,"

I said goodbye to my mother and got into the car. So did _Carl_, he turned on the engine and off we drove.

"So... Alba... Mycroft tells me that you are quite academically gifted..."

"Yes?"  
"Well I just wondered, um... whether that was true?"

I looked at him. His body language told me that he was nervous, maybe even scared:

_He needed this job; it was all he had to support his family... no girlfriend. She might leave him anytime soon, although... he knew something was up, but didn't want to believe it. The only thing was that he didn't want to say anything wrong to me, or I might tell Mycroft and he would lose his job. To be honest, I didn't really care._

"Yeah,"

"Right and you're starting your second year at the school?"  
"Yes,"  
"Oh right... Well that's brilliant,"  
This guy was really starting to annoy me now.

I dived into my bag and pulled out my book and started reading. At last, some relief.

I carried on Reading throughout the journey and Carl knew that I didn't want to talk, thankfully.

When I arrived at school, I thanked Carl for the lift and rushed to join Cathy outside. The weekend had been long and tiring, but I was glad to be back at school.  
"Hello stranger! Where were you here on Friday?"

I shrugged, "I hid all day in the library... I've, I've been moved,"

Cathy frowned, "What do you mean?"

"I'm not going to be in Year One anymore," Cathy looked down, "I'm sorry," I said, "But the head moved me..."

Cathy looked up and gave me a small smile. The bell then went.

I lined up in the second year line, and watched as everyone nudged each other saying 'Is she knew?' and 'Why is she here?' but I didn't care. The teacher came out of the room and asked us to follow her. I did, but looked behind me to see Cathy's head down as she entered the classroom.

The teacher pulled me to one side, "Hello Alba. My name is Mrs Bright"

She smiled at me with chirpy, bright eyes. I sighed.

She brought me to the front of the classroom, "Hello class, now this is Alba. She's been sent up a year. So please make her feel very welcome," She smiled at the class.

Mrs Bright lowered her head to my ear, "Alba. If you would like to go and sit next to Andy please?"

I walked over to the desk and sat down. He gave me a toothy grin.

"Hello, my name's Andy Boyle! You must be really clever to be moved up?"

I nodded but found that the table was very interesting.

The register was taken and the lessons started.

"Now then, um... Alex... could you go and get the Maths books from the shelf please?" she asked, giving her a smile. As the maths books were given out, I was given a new one, to write my name on.

After I had grasped the basics of how to lay out the page and which pens I needed to write in, she began the lesson. After she explained our topic (Addition – easy), she gave us a page to do in the book. I stared at the questions for a while, looking at the easiest page of questions ever. They took me nearly ten minutes to complete.

I stuck up my hand.

"Yes dear?" she said.

"I've finished,"

"Oh... right... well um... try these," she said as she reached her desk and took a piece of paper, "Mr Kingston told me you wiz through your work, so I photocopied you an exam paper. See how you go with that?"

I sighed as she walked away, and then gazed at the paper.

'Qu 1' it said. I worked through all of the questions one by one until _eventually _I got to the end. I looked at the clock. Only twenty minutes had passed.

_What do I do now?_ I thought.

I opened up my pencil case and began to sort out my stationery. Colour pencils, felt tips, fine liners, pens and then pencils. Great that was only... what three minutes?

"Could you help me Alba?" Andy asked. I looked over at his work. He was stuck on question ten, "Well you take fifteen and then add the twelve onto it."

"Oh right!" he mused as if enlightened.

"It's quite easy really," I said, looking round.

As the day progressed, I had to help nearly all of the people in my class to complete their work, as I had already completed mine. But when the lunch break came along, I couldn't have been happier.

I ran out with my lunch tucked under my arm, and walked towards the field. There Cathy was sat under the tree like we had a few days ago.

As we sat there, we began talking to each other about our weekends.

"Would you like to come over on say... Thursday?" I asked. Cathy nodded and smiled.

After a long break of talking, I walked back into the school. And started the next lesson of History. Now it was a really boring subject... The Romans.

Sherlock had often taught me great deals about the Romans, like, they built aqueducts, and the Emperors of that time; but as the afternoon progressed, my eyelids were beginning to become heavy, and I had to stop myself from falling asleep.

By the time half past three came, I had to suppress a whoop of joy, as I packed away my books and when she dismissed me, I made a dash towards the exit.

As I came out of the room, I saw Cathy and said goodbye to her and then looked to the car park.

Oh yeah... _Carl_... he was picking me up today wasn't he?

I rummaged around in my bag and pulled out my book and walked towards him. As I got in the car, I piled my bags into the back of the car.

"So how was school?" he asked.

"Good, I suppose," I replied giving a shrug.

"Right, and did you learn anything new?"

"No... No not really, all we did was Maths, Science, English then History," I said.

"Ah History, my favourite subject when I was at school," He beamed at me, but I ignored him, I wasn't in the mood at the moment.

That car journey was boring. All he did was ask me stupid questions and making small talk towards me, but I deflected them with 'hmms' and 'yeses'.

However, when I got home, it was a completely different story. I ran up the stairs to find Sherlock, and as I did so I saw him in his room. He was reading his book, but looked like Lord Muck as he did so. On his bedside table, there were five mugs of coffee, all scattered about the surface.

"Hello," I said as I walked in. He looked up from his book and then back down again.

"So how was your first day in Year Two," he asked, with his nose still in his book.

"Fine," I said, giving a nonchalant shrug.

"Are you sure?" he asked, looking up from his book again.

I nodded, but thought about my actual day.

One word...

Easy.

"Actually... it wasn't really that fine... it was... easy. All I did was help others and complete all the work in over half the time of everyone else,"

"Mmm... that happened to me too. Don't worry about it... you'll get used to it,"

I sighed, but knew that he was right.

"I guess being at school will be a lot easier than I expected it too,"


End file.
